Colts & Packers Advance To Conference Title Games With Wins

The Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers each won NFL divisional round playoff games on Sunday to advance to next weekend’s conference championships. Here’s a recap of Sunday’s action:

Indianapolis 24, Denver 13

Andrew Luck threw two touchdown passes, and the Indianapolis Colts upset the heavily favored Broncos, 24-13, in the AFC divisional playoffs in Denver on Sunday. With the win, Indianapolis advanced to play the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game in New England next Sunday.

After scoring the game’s first points on Peyton Manning’s 1-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas early in the first quarter, the Broncos failed to cross the goal line again on Sunday. The Colts put up 24 points and clinched the victory when they stopped Denver inches short of a first down on a fourth-and-eight near midfield with 2:50 to play.

Luck was 27 of 43 with 265 yards passing with two touchdowns and two interceptions. The normally great Manning was mediocre once again in the postseason. He completed 26 of 46 passes for 211 yards and the lone TD to Thomas.

Green Bay 26, Dallas 21

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Aaron Rodgers threw two second-half touchdown passes, and the Packers rallied to beat the Dallas Cowboys, 26-21, in the NFC divisional playoffs in Green Bay on Sunday afternoon. The Packers advanced to play the Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game in Seattle next Sunday.

With his team trailing 21-13 in the third quarter on Sunday, Rodgers connected with Davante Adams on a 46-yard catch-and-run to pull his team within 21-20 before the beginning of the fourth quarter. The Green Bay quarterback then found tight end Richard Rodgers for a 13-yard score on his team’s next possession to give the Packers the lead for good.

Green Bay was able to hold on for the win when a video review reversed Dez Bryant's apparent catch for Dallas on fourth down at the Packers’ 1-yard line with 4:06 to play. The Cowboys lost the ball on downs and suffered their first road loss of the season.

Rodgers was 24 of 35 for 316 yards and three touchdown passes. Adams had seven receptions for 117 yards and a score; teammate Randall Cobb caught eight passes for 116 yards. Eddie Lacy carried 19 times for 101 yards.

Dallas quarterback Tony Romo completed 15 of his 19 pass attempts for 191 yards and two touchdowns. He was sacked four times.